Underground Science, Underground Stories

​Why does data alone fail to move people — and what actually makes science stick?

Convened by the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN), this session brings together a a magazine founder, a scientist, a data designer, and a digital storyteller to explore how they transform little-known facts into compelling stories that resonate with people.

The session will also examine misinformation in science communication and conclude with the launch of Underground Creators, a new initiative pairing storytellers with scientists mapping Earth's underground fungal networks.

SPEAKERS

​Willow Defebaugh, Co-founder & Editor-in-Chief, Atmos, and host of The Nature Of podcast
Toby Kiers, Co-founder & Chief Scientist, SPUN, and 2026 MacArthur Fellow
Moritz Stefaner, Data visualization designer, working as Truth & Beauty
Alessandra Yupanqui, Content creator, co-founder, and editorial director, Sapiens

MODERATOR

​Mandy Nguyen, Award-winning multimedia journalist and producer